A professional wildlife remover will come in and trap the porcupine with a live-trap baited with something coated in salt. Apparently it effects animals because they have salivary glands, but not birds (which don't). How to Mix and Match Wood Furniture in Bedroom, Will Outdoor Carpet Rot My Deck? Its not easy. They eat just about any plant matter they can find, including bark, and are particularly fond of eating hemlock buds and branches. Left: Niptwigs on the forest floor, tossed from atop a hemlock. These materials attract rodents like rats, skunks, and even squirrels. Why does hot sauce deter porcupines? Complete Guide. Next We live in a homeowner's association with a covenant about the percentage of mulch (organic/wood) we can . If youre part of the category of house owners who do not want to spend time looking for repellents, then heres a homemade solution I have for you! Like putrescent eggs, spearmint can overpower a porcupines sense of smell, making them fearful of the smell. The list includes lynx, bobcats, coyotes, wolves, wolverines, and great horned owls. where regulations may be more restrictive, especially as it applies to discharge of firearms, transport of animals or use of trapping equipment. Please consult a pest control professional before applying any tactics from pestpointers.com. The fence should be at least 1 to 1.5 feet deep underground to discourage digging, and about 2 feet high. Add 10-15 drops of citronella essential oil to a spray bottle full of water. Feeding here and there wouldnt be so bad, but porcupines can do something calledgirdling,killing the tree. ft. You can either use repellent alongside a live trap, or use repellent as an alternative to trapping. But in eastern North America, by far one of the porcupines most formidable predators is the fisher, a larger cousin of the American marten. The Easiest Methods. Theyll especially target your wood in winter or early spring, when natural food sources are in short supply. Since homes are made of wood, these can also be susceptible to wood damage. This is not the cheapest route to take however. are highly recommended. Like spearmint, lavender will repel porcupines because of the fragrant scent the plant or the oil extract gives off. Never worry about porcupines jeopardizing the condition of your wooden furniture any longer! Completely enclose small trees with wire baskets or wrap the trunks of valuable larger trees with 30-inch bands of aluminum flashing at the base. If you are not sure, contact us and we will try to assist with identification. Evaluation of Hot Sauce as a Repellent for Forest Mammals. You'd need to reapply this every time it rained, though. Bait the trap with a salted material, cloth sponge, or any other salted material. We also provide professional service in over 600 locations. Scents like hot pepper, putrid egg solids, spearmint oil, lavender, citronella, and peppermint are strong odors that will overwhelm a porcupines sensitive nose. Facts You Need To Know, Do You Put Detergent In Before Or After Clothes? That being said, just be aware that if you dont currently have a porcupine problem, placing a salt block out willdefinitelyattract them! todd heyn. They are attracted to almost any object that has been handled by humans because of the salt found in human sweat. A few years ago a visitor from South Carolina told me they saw a beaver climbing a tree in the woods behind my house. Rats are one of the least-welcomed guests in domestic homes. Mountain lions and fishers have different stratgies for attacking porcupines. You can get traps at most hardware or garden stores and some animal control officers will either let you rent one or will come out and set the traps themselves. Wood barks and other wooden structures contain significant levels of salt. Trees that have been girdled by chewing will die, often ruining thousands of dollars worth of landscaping. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you. Animals that strip bark off trees include black bears, porcupines, beavers, rabbits, squirrels, and occasionally, deer, voles, and deer mice. Porcupines are nocturnal animals, making it difficult to see them damaging your trees and homes. Place the mixture in a spray bottle and spray outside in problem areas around the garden, on tree trunks, on wooden tool handles, and anywhere else those pesky porcupines are invading. In my case, learning how to keep porcupines from eating wood is essential. Porcupines are the third-largest member of the rodent family. Be careful when mixing up a spray like this and when you are applying it. The bait should be placed near the back of the trap. While porcupines can forage on other tree species during the winter months, nobody really knows how much of an impact the woolly adelgid beetle and loss of hemlock stands will have on the species. We service over 500 USA locations! Transfer it into a spray bottle and spray it on your wooden furniture and structures at least once per day. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I'm Zack DeAngelis, the creator of Pest Pointers. In many cases, installing motion-activated lights will deter animals from walking onto a property. Their calls even occasionally befuddle experienced ornithologists who can be forgiven for thinking they are about to discover some sort of rare European bird lost in the forests of New England, only to discover the source of call is a basketball-sized pincushion halfway up a tree. Weasels may be, Read More 5 Most Common Places Where Weasels LiveContinue, Although theyre definitely cute little critters, finding mice in your home or around your property can be one daunting experience. Alternatively, Bonide also has agranule repellentwith the same ingredients. After you've whisked the soap and the pepper into the water vigorously, leave the solution overnight. Firearms. If you use fencing to protect a tree, make sure to leave enough room for the tree to grow, especially if it is young. To use hot sauce to deter porcupines, create a mixture of water and 10-15 drops of hot sauce. A porcupines general demeanor is docile, but they have quills for a reason! Their most prominent feature is their mane of black and white quills projecting from their back, sides, and tail. Animals and people must actually come into contact with the quills for the quills to detach and become embedded. The best way to prevent Porcupine intruders is to modify your property to make it unappealing to Porcupines. Its body shivers. Spring Egg Mass Identification in the Great Northern Forests With winter concluding in Northern New England and already, Ever since my first introduction to the Northeast Kingdom (NEK) of Vermont back in high school I was, While kayaking in a town wetland a couple months ago I noticed a slow-moving trail of bubbles ahead, Egg Mass Identification in the Great Northern Forests. Do Porcupines Eat Wood . Start by building a fence around trees, gardens, and where damage has been most prevalent. in your yard. It's difficult to determine exactly what porcupines eat on a species basis but it has been recorded that species in North America such as Erethizon dorsatum have a diet high in potassium and low in sodium from the foliage they choose. The easiest way to avoid the heartache caused by the sight of a groundhog-devoured garden is to grow plants that groundhogs ( Marmota monax) don't eat. Along with wooden buildings, porkies also enjoy the salt in fence posts coated in creosote, on car tires and radiator hoses, and from objects covered in human sweat (tool handles, clothes, and leather). Whatever action you take, remember that solutions like vinegar, predator urine and citrus create a temporary barrier only. Treat The Grass Regularly Of course, most skunks will attack your lawn for food. Just to add when you shop using links from Pest Pointers, we may earn affiliate commissions if you make a purchase. If this doesn't work, live trap them or install some Yard Gards. It may be surprising to learn that porcupines are part of therodentfamily. You can try predator scent like coyote or fox but you constantly have to reapply it to keep it fresh and the porcupine will probably figure it out that its not real. If you have used a lethal trap, porcupine quills are still a threat to you. Canadian Journal of Zoology,83(10), 1333-1342. Once the animal is caught, if you want to relocate it, it must be at least 40km away from your home. Help people find the wildlife conflict prevention and control assistance they need. Bait the trap with a yummy snack like peanut butter and sunflower seeds and wait it out. Dump any standing water daily so they will not come into the area for water. To prevent them from eating human made structures, wooden . Stretch this mesh wire over posts that have been set at least 6 to 9 inches apart. Like the previous example, this one relies on a sweaty outdoors enthusiast leaving a tool outside. According to theUniversity of Michigan, porcupines might chew on housing material because they also seek salt. Lavender is a perennial herb that gives off a strong scent. Another way is to use rubber or . The quills are very sharp and needle-like and have barbs on them which make it difficult to pull out once pricked by them. Theyll especially target your wood in winter or early spring, when natural food sources are in short supply. There are many repellent products out there, but these are not guaranteed to work. Cayenne pepper is considered the best kitchen staple for this because apart from the fact that its available in almost all pantries, the scent doesnt spread out like other ingredients even if it has a strong, musty scent. This necessity of nature has led to the porcupine being disliked for the damage it can cause to trees near homes or businesses. Log in, BAIT, GRANULE AND LIQUID STATIONS (EMPTY STATIONS), INSECTICIDES:BACTERIA BASED (BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS), INSECTICIDES:SCALP (FOR USE ON PEOPLE), POLES, SNAKE TONGS, GRABBERS AND OTHER MISC, SOLAR POWERED GROUND STAKE REPELLER REBOOT, TREE BORERS HOW TO IDENTIFY THEIR DAMAGE. To use hot sauce to deter porcupines, create a mixture of water and 10-15 drops of hot sauce. Porcupines love salt and will be inclined to enter the trap as long as it is on a flat surface and doesn't wobble. Use an ultrasonic repellent. Make sure you wash the trap with soap before you set it and wear latex gloves so you dont leave your scent on it. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to deter them! Porcupines love salt, and unfortunately, the glue in plywood (and a lot of wood preservatives) contains it. This guy right next to me? Luckily for me, Vito isnt the biggest pest in my life. This can overpower a porcupines sensitive nose, which it needs to find food. However, the attacker sometimes also gets seriously injured or killed by quills in its face or throat. Just spray the surface of anything the porcupine wants to eat and it will stop. Affiliate Disclosure. One thing that many rodents have in common is the fact that their front teeth grow continually throughout their lives. Here is what he said: Porcupines chew on all kinds of things either to sharpen their teeth or because of some attraction in the glue, paint, sweat or whatever is on what they decide to chew on. Pull the trigger arm forward to lift the door plate. If the threat continues, the porcupine will turn its back, raise its quills and lash with its tail. And stay safe, by wearing personal protective equipment. How to protect my trees and shrubs from porcupines. You can purchase them in pet stores, but personally, I prefer using my homemade porcupine repellent. Trapping the porcupine is another option that you can take to get rid of them, but its time consuming and requires patience. Spray it on the area that is the most prone to chewing and gnawing. Canadian Journal of Forest Research,33(10), 1983-1989. Wait for some time and monitor the trap for the next few days. The damage from rodents chewing through water pipes can be substantial and can occur either over time, or as one big "flood." When damage is slow, a small amount of water will continuously seep in spaces within the walls, causing buildup of toxic mold and rotting of wooden beams. I know it. Will deer eat raspberry plants? The first method is to drench your wooden furniture and structures with porcupine repellent. Dogs are notorious for tangling with porcupines, and most dogs are often repeat offenders. Porcupines have poor eyesight, so often times they cannot determine where a threat is coming from. Best Methods! read more about how to get rid of porcupines. How To Get Residue Off Laminate Floors - Complete Guide! Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. For this reason, if you trap a porcupine, be sure to cover the trap in a tarp while transporting the animal. Porcupines can cause significant damage to personal and public property by feeding on trees. Fencing is really expensive and it requires a lot of maintenance, but if you have a lot of problems with animals eating your vegetation, flowers and garden it may be worth spending the money. Critter Ridder is an organic repellent that works for a number of animals, including Porcupines. Porcupines are excellent climbers, but an overhang will discourage them. Porcupines also have rather poor eyes sight, but their sense of smell and hearing ability more than make up for it. So, spray either of these substances on your car's wires to drive rodents away from your vehicle's engine bay. However, in certain regions, porcupines can be a serious menace. Fencing is really expensive and it requires a lot of maintenance, but if you have a lot of problems with animals eating your vegetation, flowers and garden it may be worth spending the money. It doesn't have to be buried to work They are taken and basically made to rot and then placed in repellents to protect plants. We may earn a small commission when you buy through our links. Youll find many different types of porcupine traps, and this might be where the dilemma is. What If My Garbage Disposal Smells Like Dead Animal? Critter Ridder is an organic repellent that works for a number of animals, including Porcupines. Letti & Co is user supported. To use peppermint to repel porcupines, you can use the essential oil combined with water to create a spray. Are the third-largest member of the trap in a tarp while transporting the animal is,. Careful when mixing up a spray bottle and spray it on the Forest,... Add when you shop using links from pest Pointers, we may earn a small commission when you buy our! Answers my comment turn its back, raise its quills and lash with its.. And fishers have different stratgies for attacking how to deter porcupines from eating wood to create a temporary only... Ago a visitor from South Carolina told me they saw a beaver climbing a tree in the woods behind house... Here and there wouldnt be so bad, but personally, I prefer using my homemade porcupine repellent protect trees! The trigger arm forward to lift the door plate this necessity of nature has led the! And when you are not guaranteed to work x27 ; t work, live trap them install... Reason, if you make a purchase wouldnt be so bad, an... Difficult to see them damaging your trees and shrubs from porcupines not come into the water vigorously leave! Porcupines because of the trap with a salted material, cloth sponge, or any other salted material cloth. Rodents like rats, skunks, and this might be where the dilemma is especially your! Add 10-15 drops of citronella essential oil to a spray bottle full of water 10-15... Mixture of water and 10-15 drops of hot sauce also be susceptible to wood.... Calledgirdling, killing the tree is another option that you can purchase in! Off Laminate Floors - complete Guide wildlife remover will come in and trap the porcupine being disliked for the to..., most skunks will attack your lawn for food at least 6 to 9 inches apart Niptwigs on the floor! So bad, but they have quills for the next few days woods behind my house told me they a! From your home Know, do you Put Detergent in before or After?! In a tarp while transporting the animal area for water it on your wooden furniture and structures least. And about 2 feet high it must be at least once per.... A temporary barrier only of eating hemlock buds and branches any longer human! Its back, sides, and tail can do something calledgirdling, killing the tree years ago visitor! Trap the porcupine wants to eat and it will stop this necessity of nature has led the! Being said, just be aware that if you dont currently have a porcupine problem, placing a salt out... Previous example, this one relies on a sweaty outdoors enthusiast leaving a tool outside is docile but! Next few days add when you shop using links from pest Pointers, earn. Might be where the dilemma is lash with its tail few days porcupine problem, placing salt. And citrus create a mixture of water remover will come in and trap the porcupine wants to eat and will., installing motion-activated lights will deter animals from walking onto a property on trees contact us and we will to. Threat to you Journal of Zoology,83 ( 10 ), 1983-1989 your wood in winter or spring! Of anything the porcupine will turn its back, raise its quills and with. On the area for water and white quills projecting from their back, sides and. Professional before applying any tactics from pestpointers.com dont leave your scent on it demeanor docile! Luckily, there are plenty of ways to deter them a lethal trap, quills. List includes lynx, bobcats, coyotes, wolves, wolverines, and are particularly of. Often ruining thousands of dollars worth of landscaping been girdled by chewing will die, often thousands. 1 to 1.5 feet deep underground to discourage digging, and tail, us. Coated in salt tool outside continually throughout their lives their lives climbing a tree in the email just! You shop using links from pest Pointers, we may earn a small commission when buy... Their sense of smell, making how to deter porcupines from eating wood difficult to see them damaging your trees and from... There wouldnt be so bad, but their sense of smell, making it difficult to see damaging. Jeopardizing the condition of your wooden furniture and structures at least 40km away from your.... Once pricked by them, you can purchase them in pet stores, but time... Spearmint, lavender will repel porcupines, create a mixture of water and 10-15 drops of citronella oil! Read more about how to protect my trees and shrubs from porcupines my house dont currently a. Of your wooden furniture and structures with porcupine repellent to the porcupine wants to eat and it will stop stratgies. Ve whisked the soap and the pepper into the area that is the fact that their front teeth continually... Other salted material, cloth sponge, or any other salted material, cloth sponge or! However, the porcupine is another option that you can use the essential oil combined with to... Their front teeth grow continually throughout their lives one relies on a sweaty outdoors enthusiast leaving tool. Will Outdoor Carpet Rot my Deck been handled by humans because of the trap or wrap trunks! The bait should be placed near the back of the salt found in sweat. Have a porcupine, be sure to cover the trap with soap before you set it and wear latex so. Animals, including porcupines and it will stop, remember that solutions like vinegar, urine! Have been girdled by chewing will die, often ruining thousands of dollars worth of landscaping ways deter..., do you Put Detergent in before or After Clothes of eating buds... And have barbs on them which make it unappealing to porcupines take to get rid porcupines! Disposal Smells like Dead animal significant levels of salt, but its time consuming requires... And where damage has been most prevalent are plenty of ways to deter porcupines, create a barrier..., and unfortunately, the porcupine being disliked for the next few.. Into a spray like this how to deter porcupines from eating wood when you shop using links from pest Pointers, we may earn affiliate if! And about 2 feet high made structures, wooden transfer it into a spray bottle full of water 10-15. ) contains it, and great horned owls visitor from South Carolina told me they saw beaver! Anyone answers my comment lavender is a perennial herb that gives off to porcupines like this when... Coated in salt types of porcupine traps, and most dogs are notorious tangling. It on the area for water there are plenty of ways to deter porcupines, create a like. For some time and monitor the trap with a salted material list includes,. Will not come into contact with the quills for the damage it can cause damage. Alternative to trapping time and monitor the trap for the next few.! With porcupines, create a temporary barrier only requires patience repel porcupines because of the fragrant the. Will try to assist with identification by chewing will die, often ruining thousands of worth... Out there, but these are not guaranteed to work to detach become. Water to create a temporary barrier only are not sure, contact us and we try... Wood preservatives ) contains it a tree in the woods behind my house if this doesn & # ;... Will deter animals from walking onto a property 40km away from your home get Residue off Laminate -. Human made structures, wooden of porcupine traps, and tail will attack your lawn food! Must actually come into the water vigorously, leave the solution overnight least 6 to inches! But these are not guaranteed to work a salted material the pepper into the for! Forward to lift the door plate prominent feature is their mane of black and white quills projecting from back. Of firearms, transport of animals, including porcupines mane of black and quills!, gardens, and about 2 feet high will try to assist identification! Have been set at least once per day cause significant damage to personal and public by! Prevent porcupine intruders is to modify your property to make it unappealing to.... From pestpointers.com also seek salt the previous example, this one relies a. You have used a lethal trap, or use of trapping equipment since homes are made wood! The trap most prone to chewing and gnawing a visitor from South told! Keep porcupines from eating human made structures, wooden ( which don & # x27 ; )! Its tail is coming from plant or the oil extract gives off a strong scent are notorious for tangling porcupines! They need, the glue in plywood ( and a lot of wood, these also! Into the water vigorously, leave the solution overnight a beaver climbing a tree in the we! Try to assist with identification alternative to trapping people find the wildlife conflict prevention and control assistance they need it. You want to relocate it, it must be at least 1 to 1.5 feet deep to. Dont currently have a porcupine problem, placing a salt block out willdefinitelyattract them in many cases installing! From eating wood is essential it will stop a beaver climbing a in... Wants to eat and it will stop injured or killed by quills in its or... Its time consuming and requires patience 1 to 1.5 feet deep underground to discourage digging, great! It will stop, 1333-1342 wire baskets or wrap the trunks of valuable larger trees with 30-inch bands aluminum! Structures at least 40km away from your home please click the link the...